Every Step of the Way
by xRenegade-Sniperx
Summary: Spoilers for ch. 102. Post manga. 'Sometimes, to see your dreams, all you have to do is close your eyes.' My early contribution to RoyAi day.


So, I figured I'd post something for RoyAi day ( I know it's tomorrow, but whatever ¬.¬ ). Because I love this couple ^^ ~

I don't know if it classifies as RoyAi or fluffy enough, but it'll do.

I love bittersweet endings, so I don't actually mind if Roy gets his sight back or not, or even if they both die. As long as they're together and have some sort of sweet moment.

As for an update to 'A New Tomorrow', it's on the way, I seem to have lost my chapter plan ;-;

Anyway, thanks for reading ~

(edited because I realised that I wrote 'are' instead of 'our' and it really annoyed me .)

**Every Step of the Way**

xxx

Here he was, standing at the top of the country. Staring out the window of the Fuhrer's office, looking down on his beloved nation.

Too bad he couldn't see it.

After years of hard work, of tears and laughter, losses and sacrifice, his dream had finally come to fruition. And here he was, unable to gaze upon the results; the happy faces of those who could lead a happier life now that they lived in peace. This was something that broke his heart and made a single tear roll down his cheek.

He didn't even bother to wipe said tear away when he heard the door open and gently shut. He knew it was her, somehow he always knew it was her.

"Colonel." The familiar soft voice confirmed what he had already known and he nodded in acknowledgement, not bothering to turn around; there was no point, he would never see those deep honey coloured eyes again.

"Are you okay?" She came closer; he could hear her booted steps on the carpeted floor, almost beside him. No, she stopped, just behind him, like always. She was always behind him.

"Lieutenant..." It was funny; she was the only person he would open up to and yet he still could not dare to call her by her name. "It's unfair..."

Riza, who had been staring at the back of the Colonel's head ( like she always had ), dropped her gaze to the floor. She knew what was coming. She always knew.

"Hadn't I sacrificed enough? I didn't even want to do the Human Transmutation, and yet, my sight... I know I sinned in the past, but I spent so many years trying to make up for it, trying to make the ones who come after us happy. Didn't I lose enough in the process? Didn't we suffer enough?"

Another few tears escaped the man's eyes as he spoke, voice almost breaking, and she felt her eyes start to water as well. No, he hadn't deserved such a cruel punishment.

"My dream...how long I had imagined being able to see all my efforts, all _our _efforts, with my own eyes. I've waited for this day for so long, now...it hurts to be unable to see it, to see nothing, black, where there should be happy, smiling faces...It's almost as if my dream has died, like it's not real. I can't see it; it doesn't exist."

From behind him, he heard Riza let out a small, shaky sigh before her soft voice floated towards him.

"Tell me, Colonel, before your dream became a reality, could you see it? Could you see a nation where everyone was happy? Could you see those smiling faces?"

Roy turned around, a curious expression on his face as he answered her.

"Of course not; how can I see a dream that hasn't come true? If it was still just a dream, how could I have seen it? I just knew, when I closed my eyes, I could imagine what it would be like. It was like any dream."

"Yes. Even though your dream was still a dream, a vision, even though you couldn't see it, it wasn't any less real to you."

Roy's eyes widened as he heard the Lieutenant take a couple of steps closer to him and place her hands on either side of his face.

"Just because you can't see it now that it's come true...that shouldn't make it any less real. We see our dreams when we aren't concentrating on our reality. Even when our dreams become reality, that doesn't change. All you have to do..."

She reached up with her thumbs and gently pulled his eyelids shut.

"...is close your eyes."

Roy smiled a little and closed his hands around her wrists, pulling them off his face and holding them. He opened his eyes and, although she knew he couldn't see her, Riza felt as if he was looking right into her soul.

"But here..." he started, voice coming out barely above a whisper. "...we have a problem."

A frown made its way onto Riza's face and she narrowed her eyes in confusion.

"You see now, I have a different dream. Now, I see _that_ dream whenever I close my eyes. Since my other dream has become real, this new dream has taken over my mind. You want to know what I see now, when I close my eyes?"

"Colonel...?" Riza made to pull her hands away, but Roy kept a tight grip on her wrists, not enough to hurt her, but enough to prevent her getting away.

"I see a big house, Lieutenant. Out East, in the country, of course. I see a couple of kids running around, another on the way. They have big smiles and their laughter rings throughout the air. I see us. Getting old and gray, spoiling our grandchildren, living the life we thought we would never have. I see a future. A future where I call you by your name, not your title. A future where we can be together."

Riza's lips formed an 'o' shape as Roy released one of her hands and gently stroked her cheek.

"Now the only question is: will you be there with me, Riza?"

A smile graced her lips and her eyes softened as Roy released her wrist and took her hand for a moment with his other hand, leaving something there as his pulled away. She opened her hand to see a plain silver ring; three small diamonds embedded in it, and her smile grew wider. It was nothing extravagant, nothing fancy. But that suited Riza perfectly; Roy knew her better than anyone.

She placed the ring on her finger and allowed Roy to feel it there, her smile growing with his.

"I think you already know the answer to that, sir. I will follow you, wherever you go."

"Ah...but this time it's not a question of you following me, but of you walking _beside_ me. Will you?"

Turning her gaze out the window, Riza looked at the setting sun, setting the sky ablaze. Shouldn't they be allowed this? Hadn't they made up for all their past mistakes? They deserved this happiness, this peace at least, did they not?

Riza wrapped her arms around Roy's neck and gently pulled him closer, resting her forehead against his. Her words came out in a breath, barely audible except to Roy.

"Every step of the way."


End file.
